VIO-LENCE — Nothing to Gain (review)

Album · 1993 · Thrash Metal

2.5/5 · 2021-01-01
UMUR

"Nothing to Gain" is the 3rd full-length studio album by US, California based thrash metal act Vio-Lence. The album was released through Bleeding Hearts Records in November 1993. It´s the successor to "Oppressing the Masses" from 1990 and features the same lineup who recorded the predecessor. While there are three years between the two albums, "Nothing to Gain" was actually already recorded in August 1990 but not released until three years later. While guitarist Robb Flynn is part of the lineup, who recorded the album, he had already left Vio-Lence in 1991 to form Machine Head. The remaining members of Vio-Lence recorded a demo in 1993 and then disbanded. Guitarist Phil Demmel and bassist Dean Dell formed the relatively short lived Torque, who released one eponymously titled album in 1996 before disbanding. So all was not well in the Vio-Lence camp when "Nothing to Gain" was released.

When the album was recorded in 1990 the band already had some problems with labels and issues with distribution of their music, but "Nothing to Gain" was recorded while the band members still believed in a future for their band. Unfortunately that´s not audible when listening to the material on the 9 track, 45:08 minutes long album, which generally sounds a bit tired and uninspired. Considering the ferocity and power of their first two albums, this sounds quite tame in comparison. Stylistically the core of the music is still thrash metal, but the band incorporate alternative metal elements, and Sean Killian makes several attempts at singing instead of performing his usual staccato shouting vocal style, and that is not a good idea. His voice and the melody lines aren´t strong enough and it all comes off a bit half-hearted and amaturish. Vio-Lence deserves some credit for trying new things instead of just making the same album twice, but unfortunately the new ideas don´t work. Instead of the material being more intriguing and varied, the alternative elements just result in a watered down and tedious thrash metal release.

The worst issue here though is that the band don´t sound like they believe in the material. Vio-Lence are a skilled band and they perform their parts in a professional fashion, but it all just comes off a bit powerless. Things aren´t helped along by the sound production, which is decent but not really great. The most positive feature on "Nothing to Gain" are the many melodic guitar leads. They are a great asset to the band´s music, and heightens the quality of the material whenever they appear.

So upon conclusion it´s hard not to think of "Nothing to Gain" as a step down in quality from the band´s previous releases. Although the album features a couple of critical bad moments, which don´t work at all (who´s idea was it for example to open the album with "Atrocity", which is one of the weakest tracks on the album?), it´s not a full blown terrible release by any means. There are redeeming elements here and there, and overall I think a 2.5 - 3 star (55%) rating is fair enough. I´d listen to any other Vio-Lence release before visiting this one though.